Court denies bail to Kannada actress Ranya Rao in gold smuggling case

A Special Court of Economic Offences here on Friday rejected the bail plea of gold smuggling accused Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao.The second accused in the case, Tarun Raju, has been remanded to judicial custody for 15 days as probe continues.

Ranya, stepdaughter of DGP rank officer K Ramachandra Rao, is presently lodged in the Parappana Agrahara Jail here. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport when she arrived here from Dubai on March 3.  Subsequent searches conducted by DRI at her residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore. During interrogation, authorities discovered that Tarun Raju was involved in facilitating the smuggling operation, allegedly coordinating the gold's transport and distribution within India. Both were taken into custody and booked under relevant sections of the Customs Act and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act.